Findings
by LittleFlowerLei
Summary: Knuckles falls for Rouge, Will this love be okay for them? KnuckxRouge FINISHED!
1. Default Chapter

**Chapter one...**

**Disclaimer that is cool like that: Okay. Here is what I gotta say before ya'll read: Okay 1. I dunno if Knuckles lives with Chris, but im 50 sure he does. 2. I dunno if Rouge lives with Chris. But I sencerly doubt it. Also, I dunno if Rouge has anywere to live at all! So Please do not comment on the things listed above. Thank you. Also, I dun own sonic. Just had to clear this all up.**

It was raining hard this poticular night. So very hard. In the dark, one poor soul was left unshelterd from the pelting rain and the cold wind. Shivering, this soul wounderd aimlessly untill it hit a wall. A big, cement wall. A headache shot through her head as she staggerd in pain. She let out a loud moan when the collision took place. The pain throbbed as she walked beside the wall, Keeping near the wall by walking with her hand on it. The soul was Rouge. Her homeless pain was never a bother to her, untill it rained. It pelted against her wet head as she searched for some kind of decent shelter, just for the night...

"Rouge?" A voice asked from behind her. She quickly turned to meet the shadowy gaze of the person whom knows her name and called out to her. "Rouge what are you doing here?"

"What do you want?" Rouge snapped viciously. When the person came into gaze, Rouge saw no other but Knuckles stairing back at her.

"I want to know, Why are you out here in the rain?" He asked kindly. Though, he was cautious about why she was here.

"I just ended up here. Why do you care? and no im not here to mess up sonic." Rouge told him. Viciously. (Wow. I use that word like...twice so far! coo )

"Arnt you with the-" Kuckles began to say but was interruped by Rouge's sneeze. He smiled lightly after that and put the umbrella that he brought over Rouge's head. Rouge was suprised by his kindness. Though cautious. They were never the best of friends. Nore where the even friends to begin with. Enemies was what they mostly were. So they had to be cautious around one another. "Here. Dont catch a cold. Your welcome to stay with us at Chris's Mansion."

"Thanks but no thanks. I can take care of myself.." She snapped. Not angerly though. Knuckles grabbed her wrist as she began to walk off.

"C'mon Rouge. You'll get sick if you stay out in the rain." He told her, seriously. No friendlieness in his voise.

"I don't care. I'll get better." She told him, sneezing again afterward.

"Rouge, I can't let you stay out here. You probably already caught a cold. c'mon, come into the mansion and warm up." He orderd, though humbly, not visiously.Rouge just shook her head, that now felt light.She fell to her knees and then onto her face. "Rouge! Rouge!"

The pain in her head throbbed. Pounding and hurting.

"Will she be alright?" A voice asked in the void of Rouge's sleep. The voice sounded like Chris.

"Yeah. She'll be just fine. A slight headache..but I suggest you not allow her to be as active as before for a few days.Not to mention she has a cold, which will take a week or two at the most to be taken care of." another, unfamiliar voice awncerd Chris's voice. Rouge staired into the black space of her sleep. Where was she and why were they saying these things? Her head hurt so much...so so much.

After a few hours, Rouge's eyes flutterd open to see herself in a room on a fluffy yellow sheeted bed. She looked around and saw Sonic coming in from the door.

"Good morning" He said cheerfully. Rouge blinked at him in amazement.

"Morning?" She repeted. In shock. She had spent the night at this house/Mansion. Sonic nodded.

"Yep, and look who was worried about you." He smiled, pointing behind her. She turned her head and saw Knuckles sleeping beside her. Curled up over the blankets. Rouge 'eeped' in suprise. Nearly falling off the bed.

"How long did he sleep there?" Rouge asked. Eyes wide with unwelcome morning suprise.

"Ever sence everyone left the room last night. I know because I snuck back in as he got on the bed and lied beside you. He was really worried you know. When you collapsed, he ran in with you in his arms yelling. Scared the hell out of cream." Sonic told her. Thinking back to hours ago, when that all took place. Rouge glanced at both Knuckles and Sonic. Then she just slid out of her bed, winsed, and held her head.

"I should go. Bye." She said, walking to the balcony, quickly, so quickly that she had no idea that she was going to the balcony and eventually, fell over. She fell so fast. That before it came to her that she had fallen she was too late to fly and had fallen head first into the pool. As if she didnt have enough of a headache. Sonic saw it all and right when Rouge fell in, he ran to Kuckles and woke him up.

"Get up damnit!" Sonic scolded feircly, nearly biting his head off, a fraze, which here means: To yell at Knuckles untill he was fully awake to tell him that Rouge had fallen over the balcony. Which is just what he yelled to get Knuckles awake.

Instantly, Knuckles was off of the bed and to the balcony, He dove in head first and once under water, his body caused pressure under the water to produce bubbles.

He swam around in the pool, searching for Rouge. Finding her on the diving board above him. He glared and poped his head out of the water.

"What the hell are you doing out here? You are suppost to be in the room asleep!" Knuckles scolded as he thrashed to grab onto the board.

"I can swim." She told him teasingly. He jsut glared as Rouge helped him onto the diving board. Holding onto his gloves. Knuckles noticed this, blushed but did nothing. He rather liked it. Wait...he liked it! He liked having _Rouge _hold his hands! He was redder at his disbelieve. Why did he not mind? Normally he would have taken his hands away and left Rouge to stand on the diving board alone. Secretly hoping that she would fall off into the water. But now, he just wanted to keep her safe from his very own want. He wanted her to keep his hands and he wanted to hug her, but he didnt dare. Incase she would hate him. Wait...why did he even care in the first place what Rouge thought?

After a while, Rouge let go of his hands. She just smiled at him teasingly.

"You wanted to hold my hand didnt you?" She asked teasingly. Knuckles blused, he really did want to hold her hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

"N-No!" Defended Knuckles. Rouge just smiled and laughed.

"Yes you did!" She giggled gently nudging him to the diving board's edge. Knuckles just moved out of the way and Rouge fell in instead. Knuckes just grabbed her hands and held onto them. Incase she was just kidding when she said that she could swim. Rouge dangled there, though more than half of her was under the water.Her feet swished under the water as she kept what little bit of her was above water. Rouge began to feel light headed again. Too much movement...

With that, she passed out again. Her lack of contiousness made her let Knuckle's hands go and fall into the water. Knuckles panicked and dove in after her. Just to catch her in his arms as she fell to the bottom of the deep end of the pool. Knuckles held her close as he kept his hands away from her breasts. He swam back to the top, which was high up. Once he got there. Rouge was fast asleep. He only smiled and swam to the side. That is where Sonic and Chris met them. Chris took Rouge from Knuckles's grip and lied her on the pavement beside the pool. Sonic helped Knuckles out as well.

Once Knuckles was out, he thanked Sonic and knelt down beisde Rouge.

"What happend?" Chris asked. Knuckles just stayed silent.

"She was going to leave, she fell out the balcony, I went after her once sonic woke me up, I found her on the diving board, then she tried to push me in just for fun, then she fell in herself, and Then after I grabbed her hands, she passed out and I went after her..." Knuckles said sadly. Had he let Rouge down? Or had he done the right thing? He just proped her up with his hand and staired down at her. He loved the way she looked, the way she acted. He knew that he liked her. But how much did he like her?

"Chris, I think we should leave them alone for a bit. Lets go foil Egg-man's plot to take over the earth, again okay?" Sonic offerd. Knowing that his friend Knuckles liked Rouge and he wanted to be alone with her. Chris nodded suspiciously and they left. Knuckles was able to stair at Rouge with his purple eyes. Unable to see Rouge's because she was sleeping. So he picked her up and took her inside the mansion. Lieing her on the bed, he pulled the blankets over Rouge and then blushed. She was so pretty. He got on the bed with her and lied down.He didnt close his eyes, but the summer breaze made him sleepy. He fell asleep next to Rouge once more. This time though. Gently holding onto her.

When Rouge woke up, it was near dusk and she was fully rested. She would have a hard time getting to sleep that night. Though when she woke up, she saw Knuckles's face stairing back at her. Though it was asleep. She blushed. No one was around them, so she just lied there in his grip. He was her affection, though she would not admit it. She was a year older than he was, but that didnt matter to her. But, why can't there eyes ever meet at the same time? Rouge just shut her eyes, incase he woke up or Sonic came in. That was a habit lately. But she had told herself when she fell asleep that first night, that she wouldnt stay too long. So she just got off the bed and snuck out. She was re-charged, and yet, she was in pain from the migrain that had never left her. She had made it about a yard away from the house before the throbbing pain got worse. She sat down on a stump for a second, The pain just throbbed in her head, It hurt so much. She held her hand to her head as she moaned in pain.

Knuckles woke up after all that had happend. Finding that Rouge wasnt beside him anymore, he ran around the mansion looking for her. He got the entire house worried about her. That they all left the house to search for her.

Oh Rouge...Knuckles the Enchida(sp?) Thought sadly. Why do you keep leaving? I guess that chasing you around like this is a bit fun. Though I wish you would just lie down and not leave the house so much...

He searched everywhere for Rouge. He just couldnt find her. The wind around him grew stronger, abnormally strong... he looked around and saw a helocopter, with Rouge and Topaz on it. Knuckles panicked. Rouge was in pain, he could see that, she shouldnt be in a helocopter! So he did what his heart told him. He climbed a tree and jumped at the latter that was dangling. Grabbing it with his knuckles, he climbed up it, the feirce winds threatning to throw him back down. But he still kept a tight grip on the rope. Climbing up with all of his might. Once he was up there, Rouge just staired at him. Amazed.

"Rouge what the hell are you doing up here? Why can't you ever just stay at the house? god damnit!" Knuckles shouted over the whirling of the blades.

"Im sorry Knuckles! But I have to do my job! My policy is 'job comes first!'" Rouge told him, also yelling. Though the sounds were killing her head.

"But you have a headache! You shouldnt be up here! You should be at Chris's mansion sleeping or taking asprine!" Shouted Knuckles. Rouge stayed silent. But before she could say anything. The copter began to shake. Making everyone fall over. Knuckles made his way over to Rouge and held onto her as this took place. All he did was hold onto Rouge as he walked back to the door of the helocopter. Thrusting the door open and seeing how far up they were.

"What the hell are you----ouch!" Rouge asked, then she got a migraine and that was why she said 'ouch'

"Just trust me!" Knuckles demanded. He shut his eyes and held Rouge close. But was stopped by Topaz.

"You Can't take her! Let alone jump off an Helocopter 400 ft above ground!"

"then what the hell do you suggest! You got her into this mess!" Shouted Knuckles, not letting Rouge go.

"Let her finish her assinment and then you can take her back!" Topaz pleaded. Knuckles looked at Topaz, then at Rouge, but he didnt let her go.

"I'll do Rouge's assinment. She is in no condition to be doing this." Knuckles said, holding Rouge tighter to him. Holding onto her. She was blushing as he did this. Remembering, how he saved her, when she and him faught. Now, he held onto her, for dear life. Though her head throbbed in pain. She still was awair of what was happening.

"Knuckles...dont...doing my assinment...could mean..." Rouge told him. Feeling light headed again. "Just...dont...I...I...I..can..." but before she finished. Her eyes closed. Her breathing became heavy and she could only keep contiousness for so long.

"Rouge...Rouge...Im going to do it...no matter what It means..." Knuckles the Echinda told her.Holding her. But when he said that, she was already asleep. "Topaz. Let me take her back to the mansion, then I'll do what she does."

"You can't! Rouge is professional! You can't!" Topaz argued.

"Im going. No matter what you say." Knuckles snapped.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Topaz, after a while of arguing. Had allowed Knuckles to go through with Rouge's assinment. Lieing her down in a sleeping bag, Knuckles made absolute sure she was comfertable before he left her.

"You'll need these.." Topaz told him, giving him a communicator that looked like a wrist watch, and a bag for the emeralds he would find.

Knuckles knelt beside Rouge as he was about to leave. With a kiss on her forehead, he was let out of the helocopter and landed on the island below him, Ironicly safely. As if someone was expecting him to come and made him safe. But that couldnt possably be. Could it? He just shook the thought away as he watched the helocopter land in a secret location to be hidden from enemies. Knuckles, once the helocopter was out of sight, went strait for Eggman's secret head corters that looked like a giant power plant in the middle of the rain forest. Yeah, like anyone could miss that!

Anyway. Knuckles made his way inside. Where he saw Eggman talking to Shadow.

"Did you get them?" Shadow asked him. Visicously.

"Yeah yeah yeah I got them. When do we plan to-?"

"Soon. Very soon. Just keep them safe untill I say so." Shadow snapped at Eggman. Knuckles watched quietly as this all happend. What were they planning?

"Okay. I'll guard the emeralds while you go make sure the cannon is ready." Eggman said standing infrount of the emeralds. Guarding them apparently.

"Okay. Dont let anyone take any!" Snapped shadow as he walked off. Knuckles had to wait a while, before Eggman either got bored or hungry. Which with his egg shape, didnt take too long. Eggman looked around and felt his stomach growl.

"Oh I'll only be gone for 10 seconds...a quick candy bar from the machine and I'll be back to guarding." He said to himself to ensure he was doing the right thing. Then leaving the emeralds unattended. Knuckles quickly leaped in and grabbed what he could. Which was like...4/6 emeralds. (4 out of 6) Being caught by Eggman in the attempt to get the 5th one. Knuckles quickly, had to think of a plan.He looked around despritly as he tried to think of a plan. Eggman held a machine gun to Knuckles.

"Duck!" Shouted a female voice tackling Knuckles as the gun was fired. No one was hit but an emerald got chipped. It took a while before Knuckles could figure out who the voice was.

"Rouge!" Knuckles exclaimed as Rouge got off of him. She nodded.

"Yep" She awncerd happily. Then she angerly glared at Eggman as she got off of Knuckles. "Eggman. You touch him with that and I'll kick you with my iron boots! I swear to god! You will rue the day you shoot Knuckles you got that?"

"Rouge..." Knuckles mumbled in disbelifeve. She was willing to get shot for him.

"C'mon!" Rouge shouted, grabbing Knuckles's hand and leaving quickly. Only to take him to the helocopter. Topaz was at the controles. Once both of them were onboard, The helocopter took off, having no time to pull up the ladder. Eggman grabbed the ladder as the helocopter took off. Knuckles let out a low growl as he walked to the ladder and cut it with his hard knuckles. Rouge smiled as he did this. Looking at the emeralds he had collected. After Knuckles finished doing that. He too, looked at the emeralds. Finding a pink one. A shiny pink dimond.He secretly took that one out of the bag without Rouge knowing.

"Wow! You bagged a bunch!"Rouge said happily as she looked at them. Knuckles nodded. "Knuckles...thanks..."

"No problem." Knuckles smiled as he and Rouge hid the bag.

"Sorry I've been a burden..." She sighed. She felt Knuckles hug her.

"You are never a burden..." He told her sweetly. Meaning it. "Just do me one favor, and please stay in bed when you are sick."

"Okay." Rouge told him. They were both lost in Romeo and Juliet land. It took Topaz to bring them back.

"Were going to be landing soon. So you two get out of romance land and get ready. We will have to make a hard landing because smarty over there broke the ladder. Rouge and Knuckles blushed as they let go of eachother. Topaz made the hard landing as Knuckles helped Rouge off the helocopter with the bag of emeralds. "Okay Im going to go put the helocopter back. See ya around."

Knuckles and Rouge began to walk back to the mansion. Knuckles lugging the bag over his shoulder. They were being watched...but by who...? Suddnely, an explosion took place. A huge one. But with...Pink smoke? Both Rouge and Knuckles were left to cough in the smoke as out of it, emerged little Bokkun!

"Haha!" He laughed histaricly. Knuckles looked up at him.

"What the hell was that for?" He snapped.

"Wanted to have fun!" Bokkun giggled. Knuckles gave him the finger and looked at Rouge.

"are you okay?" He asked. Rouge looked up at him and nodded. Both blushed more than they had ever before. "Y...Y...Your...Pretty..."

"T..Thanks. Y-Your...C-Cute.." Rouge told him. Both were blushing at eachother.

"Oopsie! I used my love bomb! Oh god im so sorry!" Bokkun said all at once, No one was able to understand him, no matter how close they lisoned. Knuckles helped Rouge up and had his hands laced with her's. Both were blushing and awkward. Knuckles quickly let her hands go and glared at Bokkun.

"You could have hurt someone you know." Knuckles snapped. Rouge nodded. Standing close to Knuckles.

"Okay...im sorry." Bokkun sighed sadly.

"Just dont do it again without notice first okay?" Knuckles said smiling. Not at Bokkun, but at Rouge.

"Okay!" Bokkun said smiling. After that he left them be. Completly forgetting the love bomb.

Now alone, Knuckles slowly but shyly put his hand on Rouge's waist. Expecting a slap, but nothing came. Rouge just smiled at him and leaned on him. Knuckles smiled. He walked with his hand on Rouge's waist back to the mansion. But before they got there. Knuckles began getting shy around Rouge.

"Is something the matter?" Rouge asked, Noticing his change. Knuckles shook his head.

"No..but there is something im thinking about doing, but I dont know if its alright." Knuckles said to her. Blushing.

"well. Go ahead and do it, If its wrong, I'll let you know okay?" She said smiling. Knuckles nodded and looked at her strait in the eye. Then, Taking her chin on his index finger, brought it up closer to him and kissed her lips. Both blushed during this process, but Rouge kissed him right back.

When the kiss ended. They both were blushing.

"Was it right or wrong?" Knuckles asked, a bit afraid of the awncer.

"Right." Rouge told him. Smiling. Knuckles smiled wide as he took her in his arms and with the bag slung over his shoulder, they walked untill they reached the mansion.

Everyone ran out to greet them. Cheese ran to them so far that Rouge caught her. Everyone greeted them happily. They had been gone so long that they had suspected that something happend. All Knuckles and Rouge did was smile.

"were okay." Knuckles and Rouge said in unison. Pretty much everyone noticed that Knuckles had his hand around Rouge's waist and didnt have a black eye. Everyone smiled at this. They didnt say anything though. All they did was walk back into the mansion. With Rouge following.

"c'mon Knuckles." Rouge said sweetly. Knuckles just smiled.

"I'll catch up. You go on in and feel better." He told her, walking to her and kissing her. The same way he had before. She kissed him back and nodded.

"Okay." She told him. Cheese had gone in with Cream and Knuckles just sat there in the new dark, stairing at his reflection in the pool. He saw Sonic come up behind him.

"Hey." Sonic said sitting beside him.

"Yo," Knuckles said, dangling his hand in the crystal clear pool water. Sonic glaced tword the mansion at the balcony window.

"I see you and Rouge have gotten together." Sonic pointed out to him. He nodded.

"Yep. I couldnt be happier." Knuckles admitted to Sonic. Lookinig at the same thing as sonic was but through the reflection of the pool.

"How'd it happen?" Sonic asked Knuckles. Knuckles only smiled.

"We were coming back here and Bokkun had thrown a bomb at us, But pink smoke came out and next thing I knew. I was in love with Rouge." Knuckles admitted. Happilie remembering.

"Thats coo-wait, Pink smoke?"

"Yeah. Why...?" Knuckles asked. Sonic looked at him sadly. Knuckles saw that it would be bad news. "No I dont want to know. Dont tell me." Knuckles said, walking away from Sonic and into the mansion.

"Poor guy..." Sonic said to himself. Sadly, he relised a sigh "He isnt really in love..."

Knuckles walked into the room Rouge was in but she was wide awake. He smiled as he sat beside her on the bed.

"Hey." She said to him smiling. Knuckles only smiled. After a while of Silence. He kissed her. An assuring kiss. Not knowing what the smoke had done to him, but he was happy it happend. He wasnt going to find out what did this to him, or what the smoke did, he was happy being in love. Not just being in love, but being in love with Rouge.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Sonic sat up late that night. Feeling bad for Knuckles. Poor guy had never been in love in his life and he thinks he is...

What will he think about this if he ever goes back to before? What would Rouge do? What would he do? So many questions left unawncerd. All Sonic could think about is Rouge and Knuckles and that they wernt really in love. It saddend him.

Okay. Im gonna get back to Knuckles and Rouge cause that is way more interesting.

Rouge was unable to get to sleep. She had slept so much during the day that she couldnt sleep now. Knuckles sat up with her, though tired.

"Rouge. Lie down. I can get you to sleep." Knuckles offerd sweetly. Rouge smiled and nodded. She lied down beside Knuckles and He stroked her hair. Gently. Soothingly, and in a motion. Rouge was lieing so close to him, That she could hear his heart beat. That is what soothed her the most..

Slowly, her eyes lowerd, almost closing. She gave Knuckles a kiss good-night and both fell asleep near eachother in about 20 minutes or so.

"What!" Shadow exclaimed angerly. "They took 4 of our 6 Emeralds! Damn it Eggman you were suppost to be on the watch!"

"Sorry! but I was hungry and I was only gone for 1 minute!" Eggman snapped back at him.

"Shut up! We needed those damned emeralds! You bumbling Idiot!" Scolded Shadow. "Did you at least see who took them?"

"Yeah...That Echida and Rouge." Eggman said. Triumphantly. Shadow snickerd.

"I think I know how to get them back.."

Rouge and Knuckles woke the next day as lovy-dovie as they were before. Sonic constantly tried to tell them what was wrong. But Knuckles would just hide it. He didnt want to hear it. Untill Sonic got so fustraited that he tied Knuckles to a tree. Rouge sat beside the tree, watching.

"Lison to me damnit! Bokkun Threw a love bomb at you! that is the only bomb in the world with pink smoke and after effects! damn it Knuckles! I've been trying to tell you before you got too hurt! But you wouldnt lison to me!" Yelled sonic. Both Rouge and Knuckles were silent. Knuckles's head hung.

"I knew it wouldnt be anything good...I knew that the news was bad by your expression...I didnt want to hear it. I didnt want to stop loving her..."

"You dont have to stop Knuckles. But we do need to get you two an antidote for this. Sadly...you wont remember any of this..." Sonic said, shaking his head sadly. Knuckles felt tears spring from his eyes. "Do you want to live a life caused by a prank. Or do you want to live a real life. A life that isnt fake..?"

"I'll do it...I'll go back...But Rouge...I love you..." He said sadly. Sonic untied him. Rouge wouldnt remember what he had said. Sonic just took both of them back to the mansion and Chris's grandfather began finding an antidote for this. Once he found it. He made Knuckles and Rouge drink a blue liquid and almost instantly. They were back to how they were before the bomb prank.

"How the hell did we get here?" Rouge asked looking around. Sonic sighed.

"You two came back last night. Crashed right out afterward." He lied to them. The lie was for the best. He wouldnt be able to stand it if they got hurt. Really bad. So he gave everyone else a look that read 'lie to them..its for the best.', they all agreed to him and his lie. Knuckles looked around confusably. But he just went along with it.He looked at Rouge, who seemed to be equally confused. Ella called everyone down for dinner. Everyone walked down to the table as Ella and that one..other...butler dude finished putting the food out on the table.Everyone sat down at the table. There was a long silence in the mansion. No one sat a word during the dinner. All afraid to bring up what had happend. Rouge and Knuckles didnt understand why everyone was silent.No one looked happy either. They were all sad and silent. Cream and Cheese were also very sad, they just ate their food as did everyone.

"Why do you all look so blue?" Rouge asked. Feeling awkward in the silence. They all looked up at her and then put on a fake smile.

"We arnt." Sonic lied. Though, they were really feeling bad for the two. Though the love was fake, they rather liked the Idea of Rouge and Knuckles. The Echidna had never fallen in love before. He was always one to look after the Master Emerald. But after the insadent, they saw what it would be like if they were in love.

"Then why were you guys so quiet and depressed?" Knuckles asked. Contributing to Rouge's question. He too, wanted to know what was up with all of the silence.

"Its nothing. Really." Tails lied as well as Sonic. He hated lieing to them. But he knew it was for the best. Wasnt it? They made such a cute couple.

After that, Chris started a conversation to change she subject. Rouge finished her dinner and placed her fork down on the plate.

"Im finished." She said getting off the chair and walking out of the dining room. She apparently had something on her mind. She retreated to the balcony of the room she was sleeping in. Knuckles wanted to follow her, but then everyone would get wise to how he felt about Rouge. So he stayed. But something in the back of his head told him to follow her. Not because he loved her, but because he had a feeling something was going to happen. Something, bad. So he finished up his dinner and left as well. Hearing Rouge's loud scream coming from the room she was staying in. He ran quickly to her room in a panic. He saw Eggman with Rouge tightly pressed against his egg shaped chest with his right arm. Laughing.

"You want Bat girl back? Bring the emeralds.Or else." Eggman threatend. Tossing a smoke bomb into the room so that Knuckles wouldnt be able to save her. Eggman hopped out the window into that robot he has int he video game. (Sonic Adventure 2 battel) and left with Rouge screaming.

It took about 5 minutes before the smoke cleared. Knuckles was found by sonic coughing from the smoke. Once it was cleared and Knuckles relized that Eggman hag gotten away, he pouned his fists on the floor; leaving cracks in the floor.

"Damn damn damn DAMN!" He shouted as he beat the hell out of the floor. "Damn Damn Damn"

"Knuckles..." Sonic mumbled sadly. "What happend?"

"Damn! Eggman took Rouge and I dont know what he is going to do with her! He wants the emeralds as a ransom. I guess I'll have to give them to him." Knuckles mumbled. Ashamed.Sonic gasped.

"Your going to give Eggman the peices to the master Emerald! But you spent your life protecting it!" Sonic protested.

"I know. But Rouge is more important to me than some stone." Knuckles mumbled as he got the bag out from under the bed. He left the mansion with sonic begging him to think of a diffrent plan. "Sonic. I wont change my mind. Rouge...she means everything to me. I will put the world at stake just to make sure she was okay." Sonic stayed silent.

"You really love her dont you?" He asked Knuckles.

"Yeah." Knuckles told him, outside of the mansion. He then left the whole parimater of the mansion and got Topaz to fly him to the head quarters. As he got twords it, he was greeted by shadow.

"Emeralds." Shadow snapped.

"Rouge." Knuckles snapped right back.

"First the Emeralds, then you get your bat girl." Shadow said to him.

"No. I want Rouge out here or you don't get the emeralds." Knuckles snapped at him. Shadow nodded.

"Eggman! Bring out your fiance!" Shadow orderd. That stopped Knuckles's heart. F...Fiance? With that, Eggman brought out Rouge, her head hung low. She had a forced ring on her finger that she couldnt get off. It had a small chip attached so that if she ever got it off. It would just get right back on. Rouge saw Knuckles as Eggman thrusted her forcefully forward. Her gloomy face smiled as she ran to him. Grabbing onto her Echidna. Knuckles held onto her as well. The bag of emeralds in his hand. Though his grip, wasnt as tight as Rouge had hoped.

"Knuckles...Im sorry...Im forced to marry Eggman...they figured you wouldnt come..." Rouge explained, nearly in tears. Knuckles just held his grip on her, if anything, his grip tightend.

"Shadow. I'll give you the emeralds. Just get this ring off of her finger." Knuckles snapped.

"well of course!" Shadow said smugly. "But you got your girlfriend back. I need the emeralds first." Knuckles thought about it. Would shadow keep his promise? He could only trust his gut. He tossed the bag over to Shadow. Shadow began to leave them. Having Eggman follow.

"What about the ring?" Knuckles yelled. Shadow laughed.

"You should make better deals. I mean, You should wait untill I take the ring off before giving me the emeralds dummy!" and with a laugh, the bad guys left. Knuckles sat there with Rouge in his arms. The cold metel ring on her finger. Rouge only apoligized to Knuckles.

"It wasnt your fault Rouge. Dont be so hard on yourself. I dont care if you were Eggman's fiance by force. Rouge. I still care about you." He told her as she cried on him. He gave her a kiss on the forehead.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Once they got back to the Mansion. They had Chris's grandfather attempt at removing the ring.But he couldnt get it off. The technolgy and enginering was really hard. Not to mention there was a password that this time wasnt Ma-ri-a, They had learned from that. Knuckles stood in the back of everyone gatherd around Rouge. He had let his guard down for a second and she has that damned ring stuck on her finger.How could he make it, so if the ring didnt ever come off, Rouge wouldnt be Eggman's? It struck him hard in the heart to think of Rouge to be Eggman's fiance. No one but sonic and tails noticed how depressed Knuckles was. Rouge did too, but everyone was still crowded around her. Everyone stood crowed around Rouge for a while. But when they were gone, Rouge walked upto Knuckles, whom was still there. She gazed down at the mechanical ring. Knuckles could see tears in her eyes. He quickly wiped them away. He gave her a tight hug.

"Dont cry Rouge.." Knuckles told her softly. Their grip on eachother tightend. Her beautiful face enchanted Knuckles. Her beautiful eyes and her glamerous body. Her daring attitude, all of it just made him in love with her even more. Rouge, she loved just everything he had to offer.Loving embraces, sweet words. Stubborn attitude. All of his qualitys she loved so much.But neither of them were proud enough to admit to thier love. They wanted to so badly, but both were afraid of rejection.Which is Ironic because both are in love with eachother. So basicly they would have no rejection. But they didnt know that they shared the same feelings. As obvious as it is. Knuckles looked at that damned ring. He took ahold of it, and pulled it off. Keeping it in his palm so it couldnt reattach itself to her finger. He laughed trumphantly."I can't believe no one has ever thought of t-" but before he could finish, the ring let off 10,000 volts. When it stopped shocking him was when Rouge forced his knuckle open and the ring attached itself again to her finger. Knuckles had smoke coming up from the burns that she shocks had left. They really hurt to.

"Knuckles you big dummy! Why did you do that! When it shocked you I thought you would let go of it!" Rouge scolded him. She didnt want to see him hurt like that. A bonk on the head was diffrent than a 10,000 volt shock. She gently fingerd the burns. He winced a few times. Now she couldnt hug him..pluse, having this ring on her finger means she would have to marry Egg-man. Not a real pleasant thought. Rouge began to cry again.

"Rouge...Like I said, dont cry.Everything will be alright. I promise." Knuckles assured her. He saw settled tears in her eyes. Which had not yet fallen. Without another moment's delay, Rouge tackled Knuckles to the floor, holding onto him tight. She rememberd how the two used to fight constantly, she was only covering up her insacurity around him. Truly, when she was around knuckles. Everything was static. She couldnt see clearly and just had to scream. Thats why she would yell at Knuckles. Because he made the world around her a blurr. She felt safe with him, she could be herself, and it was okay with him. But she didnt know he liked her like she liked him.

Knuckles had supported himself along with Rouge. He hated the fact that he couldnt do anything about Rouge's ring problem. He wanted to get that ring off. For Rouge and for himself. He didnt want her to have to marry Egg-man. That would be sick. He loved Rouge. He would be the one to marry her. Damn strait he will.He took the ring again off her finger and held it in his palm. Which it again, let off 10,000 volts. But this time, he wouldnt let Rouge have it back. As painful as it was, it hurt him much much more to let Rouge have it back and marry Eggman.Eventually, he passed out, of course his palm opend and the ring went back to Rouge. Rouge knelt beside Knuckles in tears. Smoke rising from his body. Tears fell from her eyes onto his cheek. Rouge decided that she shouldnt need saving anymore, With that thought inmind, she left the mansion after sneaking Knuckles a kiss on his mouth. Just to say, before she left, that she loved him. With that, she was gone.

She had taken Topaz's helocopter again, having Topaz drive it ofcourse. She had taken Rouge to where Shadow and Eggman were last seen. Rouge took a deep breath. She could either get killed or kissed down there. Either one was unpleasant. Before she left, she saw that there was one more Emerald that they didnt have. The pink one. Rouge staired at it. Should she go down there and risk her life or well being? Or should she turn back? She took a deep breath and when they were above where Eggman and Shadow were, Rougesome how got out of the helecopter and onto the ground safly. Before she could even attempt at grabbing the other emeralds, she was grabbed by Eggman.

"Welcome back." Eggman greeted. Evily. "Ready to get married?" Rouge was silent.

"You may own my body. But damn it Eggman. Knuckles owns my heart!" She yelled, kicking him in the gut with her iron boots. Had she really admitted that Knuckles had her heart? Apparently yes. Because thats what she felt about Knuckles. She loved him. She dodged all of Eggman's robots and made a dive for the Chaos Emeralds that they had. She grabbed as many as she could carry, as she left, she was cut off by a shadow standing infrount of the door. Im not saying it WAS SHADOW it was A shadow.

"Rouge! What the hell are you doing here?" It asked. It was definitly Knuckles.

"I got the emeralds!" She cheered. Knuckles ran to her and helped her grab the rest. Now they had none. Luckly they got out of the area before Shadow was able to notice that the emeralds were gone, They got into Topaz's helocopter. Knuckles just had to grab onto Rouge and hold on tight.

"Dont do that again! I was scared when I woke up." He told her, holding onto her.

"Sorry. But I had to get the emeralds. Having them in the hands of the bad guys isnt great. Remember my policy!" She said grinning. Knuckles smiled and hugged her tight.

"I dont like thinking that I've lost you Rouge.." He told her, Rouge blushed. She was happy he would have been sad if he had lost her.

"Knuckles...-" But before she could even think about what else she was going to say, Knuckles kissed her.

"Dont scare me like that.." He said after the kiss. This time, both were awake and both knew what they had done. Now Rouge saw how seriously hurt he would have been. Good thing she loved him.

"Knuckles...it is weird. I feel like...I felt you kiss me before..." She told him. The memory of the love bomb was actually coming back to her. Knuckles didnt know what else to really say. He felt the same thing. Rouge just shook the thought away. "Im probably wrong though." Knuckles had to do it. He had to kiss her again. So he did so. This time, Rouge returned it. She loved having Knuckles kiss her. It felt good. Once they got back to the mansion. Knuckles and Rouge saw that Chris's grandpa had built a box out of rubber and on the outside, steel. He told them that the rubber would obsorb the volts while the steel kept the ring from ever going back to her. Knuckles smiled. He took the ring off of his beloved Rouge's finger and put it in the box. Chris's grandpa shut the small thing that allowed the ring to go in. That ring was never seen again.

Later that night, Rouge was up late stairing at her reflection in the pool. She saw Knuckles approch her.

"Hi Rouge." He greeted sitting beside her. Roug leaned her right side of her body against his.He plaved his arm over her shoulder with love.

"Hey Knuckles." She greeted right back. Thats how they spent most of the night. Untill one moment when Knuckles whisperd into her ear.

"I love you Rouge." With that, Rouge kissed him and told him that she loved him too.

**FIN!**

**AN: This was actually shorter than I had in mind. But I lost most of my better ideas so I just ended it here. Oh but such a sweet ending! **


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